Music to Your Ears

By Laura Marrich

Old Main Fest II

Just when you thought you were done shaking off your hangover from the last Old Main Fest (held in May at the Albuquerque Press Club), Burque music hellion and The Old Main frontman Rod Lacy is asking you to get wild again—"in the tall pines of the Zuni Mountains."

Friday, Aug. 2, through Saturday, Aug. 3, Lacy's reserved the McKinley County Wildlife Federation Park for a DIY music festival with camping, hiking, barbecue and anything else you can comfortably fit in god's creation—there's even a lake within stumbling distance. "The wilderness it's located in is nothing less than perfect," he told me via e-mail. "We're setting up horseshoes and volleyball and basically have every intention to make this a party to totally eclipse our Press Club fest this past spring."

Bring a tent to sleep in, $10 for the suggested "pitch-in" and instruments to jam on. Food (grilling starts at 2 p.m., followed by breakfast the following morning) and bands—Prudy Dimas, Young Edward, Fast Heart Mart, Saving Damsels and, of course, The Old Main—are provided.

For more info and directions to the McKinley County Wildlife Federation Park campsite, hit up myspace.com/theoldmain.

String, String, String

For a more family-appropriate music-and-camping combo, you can always pitch your tent at this weekend's Wild West Music Fest. It's closer, too—in Edgewood's Wildlife West Nature Park. Other amenities include free camping, two stages, a covered amphitheater (so all the concerts are insured against wet weather), children's activities (children under 12 get in free) and plenty of chuck-wagon grub. No open fires or booze, though.

The festival of American music and stringed instruments kicks off Friday, Aug. 1, with a country barn dance featuring Syd Masters and the Swing Riders. Cost is $10 at the barn gate.

Then Saturday, Aug. 2, is riddled with fiddle and guitar contests (preview the rules and prizes at wildlifewest.org), and workshops in fiddle, claw-hammer banjo, ukulele and songwriting. Both Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 3, feature performances by The Boulder Acoustic Society, Byron Berline Band, Canadian fiddle bad-ass April Verch and others. Cost is $15 for Saturday (10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.) and $10 for Sunday (11 a.m. to 3 p.m.). Visit wildlifewest.org for directions and more information.

Dysphagia

That isn't the name of a death metal band. (Wait, yes it is. Google says there's one in Australia.) Dysphagia is a medical condition that makes swallowing almost impossible because of underdeveloped muscles in the throat. The ailment makes a lot of stuff we take for granted—drinking liquids, eating foods and avoiding nasty lung infections like pneumonia—a constant struggle.

Now meet Jayse. He's a sweet, happy 2-year old with a big smile. He also has Dysphagia. His family's looking at thousands of dollars in preventative medical bills insurance won't cover.

This Saturday, Aug. 2, you can help Jayse get the therapy and prescriptions he needs just by rocking at Ralli's Fourth Street Pub and Grill. Blissful Destruction, Sleestaks, The Unclean, Frostbite, Simfonik Plague and Obsene Jesters will donate performances for the benefit show starting at 7 p.m. 100 percent of the $2 admission goes to the family. For more information on Dysphagia, visit iamthirstynow.org.